Reviews

The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands by Sarah Brooks

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lbwritesdrivel's review

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

elliebwkr's review

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adventurous emotional tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

bookaneer808's review

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adventurous dark hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Imagine Shadow & Bone written with the weirdness of China Miéville and you have a little of the flavour of this tale.
In the early 19th century, a wasteland has appeared between the great powers of China and Russia, haunted by terrifying, unearthly creatures. Massive walls are built on either side to keep the Wasteland out; the only direct connection between these nations is the mighty train, created and run by the Company.
Weiwei is a child of the train, born on board and kept as a talisman.
Marya Petrovna is a young passenger with a secret, seeking answers.
Henry Grey is a natural philosopher, keen to make fresh discoveries in this strange place and erase his recent humiliation.
All of their certainties will be washed away in this journey, because as people stare out at the Wastelands from the powerful, impregnable train, something stares back...
Adventurous, beautiful and unnerving story that swerves from rhe expected.

niallharrison's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

bluemoons's review

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

laurenla's review

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adventurous

3.75

Some brilliant creepy writing and heroine and plotting, steampunk/alt historical setting isn’t my favourite. Will keep an eye out for other writing by this author.

retrogirl20's review

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adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for allowing me to read this early! Once you get into this book it has some amazing characters and a beautiful world to dive into. But, it is a very slow start which may turn some readers off. While this does have elements of fantasy/sci-fi it does feel more like a literary fiction novel and I feel like that genre would fit better. Overall I did really enjoy the story and found the overall book to be incredibly well written.